Delivery-machine.



J. M. BEAVO. DELIVERY MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1908.

Patented Nov. 29,1910.

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JOSEPH M. BEAVO, 01? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO PREMO SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF LOS ANG-ELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

DELIVERY-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Application filed August 24, 1908. Serial No. 449,907

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr M. BEAVO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Delivery-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The prime object of this invention is to provide a device which will deliver such articles as drinking straws one at a time, keeping the straws unexposed to contami' nating influences so that the user may receive a perfectly clean straw. l-Ieretofore it has been the custom to keep the straws and like articles in open receptacles where they become contaminated and unfit for use. To obviate this condition the straws have been handled in envelops to protect them. but this renders the straws more bulky than when they are handled uncovered. The straws are placed in bulk in my device and a slight movement of the delivery mecha nism sufiices to cause the delivery of a single straw to an 'intended user, the user only handling the straw which he afterward uses and not touching any of the others, as is the case when the straws are held in open receptacles.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification :-Figure 1,- is a front elevation of my improved delivery machine. Fig. 2,- is a sectional plan view of the same without any straws therein. Fig. 3, is a sectional end elevation of the same with the straws in place.

The device is formed with end pieces 5 made of suitable material, supporting legs 6 being preferably formed integrally therewith. Between the end pieces 5 a hopper 7 is formed by preferably glass inclosing walls 8 for the front and back and inclined bottom walls 9. A suitable cover 10 is provided to entirely close the hopper and to protect straws 11 therein from any outside contaminating influences. Bottom walls 9 do not quite meet each other, a space being left between their lower ends of about the width corresponding to the diameter of a straw so that only one straw at'a time can pass through the opening subject to the action of the delivery mechanism controlling the same.

The delivery mechanism comprises two slides or gates 12 and 13 mounted upon end pieces 14: pivoted at 15 to the end walls of the machine. Slide 13 is preferably divided into a plurality of tongues which project through apertures 16 in the lower edge of front bottom walls 9 as shown in Fig. 3. Slide 13 is at such a distance above slide 12 that it will pass just above the straw 11 which rests immediately upon slide 12 upon its forward movement. Attached to each of the tongues of slide 13 is a spring 17 which passes inside the hopper and rests with its end upon the front bottom wall. This spring serves to hold the slide mechanism in its normal forward position with slide 12 forming the bottom of the hopper and slide 12 in the position illustrated in Fig. 3. Secured to slide 12 are a pair of curved strips 18 or other equivalent means which carry a pan 19 on their outer ends. Upon the downward movement of pan 19 by the hand of the intending user of one of the straws the delivery mechanism is forced rearwardly on pivotal points 15 and slide 12 is moved from under the opening at the bottom and the hopper. Simultaneously slide 13 is moved into the opening directly above the lowermost straw so that the remaining straws are prevented from moving downwardly. As soon as slide 12 has moved far enough to completely uncover the opening the lowermost straw rolls down strips 18 as indicated in dotted lines onto pan 19 from whence it may be removed by the user. Springs 17 agitate the straws within the hopper each time a straw is removed therefrom. This agitation tends to keep the straws from crossing each other and thus becoming entangled so as to not pass through the bottom opening when the delivery mechanism is operated.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the above described device embodies in a simple construction the necessary elements for keeping such articles as straws free from contamination and for delivering them singly to intending users.

The prime feature of the invention is seen to consist in a hopper having a sliding bottom in combination with a second slide adapted to be moved into the hopper to close its bottom when the first slide is moved away therefrom. In this form the invention may be used for vending other articles such as pencils, cigarettes, cigars and the like.

I-Iaving described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, a

. hopper having a delivery opening, a movable gate normally closing said delivery opening, resilient agitating members projecting into said hopper adapted to agitate the articles held therein, said agitating members afi'ording means for returning said gate when displaced.

2. In a device of the class described in combination, a hopper having a delivery opening, a gate normally closing said delivery opening, and adapted to be displaced laterally to deliver one of the articles from said hopper, resilient agitating members projecting into the interior of said hopper to agitate the articles held therein, said .members being connected With said gate and affording means for returning said gate when displaced.

3. In a device of the class described in combination, a hopper having an inclined bottom and a delivery opening t-herebeloW, a gate mounted to swing upon the pivots at the ends of said hopper, and normally obstructing said delivery opening, said gate afi'ording means for delivering articles from said hopper when displaced laterally, springs disposed Within said hopper adapted to agitate the articles therein and connected with said gate to return the same when displaced.

4. In a device of the class described in combination, a hopper having a delivery opening therebelow, a main gate extending longitudinally of said opening normally obstructing said delivery opening, end pieces attached to said gate and pivotally supported to enable said gate to swing away from said opening, a second gate moving with said main gate, and adapted to obstruct said opening when said main gate is displaced, thereby preventing the escape of the articles Within said hopper and delivering the lowermost of said articles, springs mounted Within said hopper adapted to agitate the articles therein, said springs being connected with said gates and alfording means for returning the same when displaced.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of August, 1908.

JOSEPH M. BEAVO. 

